


the girl of my dreams

by sleeepybear



Category: Persona 4
Genre: F/M, Hijinks & Shenanigans, Lucid Dreaming
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-24
Updated: 2019-11-01
Packaged: 2021-01-02 08:03:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,593
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21158339
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sleeepybear/pseuds/sleeepybear
Summary: As things at school got more difficult, and he started going less and less, Kanji found himself longing for some kind of companionship. Just, anyone, who’d be okay with him. They didn’t even have to like him that much, someone to talk to once in a while in the hall and maybe sit with at lunch would be nice.And that’s where it all started.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> that title is a god awful pun and no i wont be sorry for it
> 
> hello! welcome to this shit oh shit here we go again instead of finishing my other shit im starting MORE SHIT
> 
> this one is bcuz i was literally SMACKED with inspiration last night and wrote a bunch so first chapter woo woo
> 
> hope u enjoy...

Kanji lucid dreams.**  
**

  
He figured out how to do it by reading a bunch of stuff online, on his ma’s computer. Keeping a dream journal (he does do that. It’s pink, and it’s safely kept away in his nightstand) and all the tricks to help it happen. Life was rough, but he could do whatever the fuck he wanted in dreams, and no one could mess with him. 

  
He started just with basic stuff. Flying, super powers, places where a teenage boy’s mind will take you naturally, all that sort of stuff. Eventually, he ran out of things to try, and let his mind take him wherever it wanted to that night. 

  
As things at school got more difficult, and he started going less and less, Kanji found himself longing for some kind of companionship. Just, anyone, who’d be okay with him. They didn’t even have to like him that much, someone to talk to once in a while in the hall and maybe sit with at lunch would be nice. 

  
And that’s where it all started. 

  
He settles into bed, having brushed his teeth and gotten into his pajamas. Getting settled under the covers, he shifts until he’s comfy enough to get into that lucid dream state. It doesn’t take long before he’s drifting off… 

  
He’s gotta set the scene. The flood plain is one of his favorite places, and as soon as he thinks of it, the strange scenery around him melts into the familiar riverbank. He’s always wanted to come and sit with a friend here on a sunny day, and just… talk. Too bad you need friends to do that. 

  
Kanji sits on one of the benches, and tries to conjure up a friend. 

  
He glances over to his left, and there’s suddenly someone sitting there. It looks like a boy, blue hair and a cap, big ol’ jacket too. He’s short. Not exactly what he was expecting, but he’ll take whatever his brain throws at him. 

  
“Hello Kanji.” 

  
Their voice is nice too, he notes. The blue haired boy extends a hand towards him. “It’s nice to meet you.” 

  
“Nice to meet you too, dude.” He shakes their hand, not looking down at it. Hands are weird in dreams, and he’d rather not see the wrong amount of fingers. 

  
The boy retracts his hand, leaning back on the bench and folding his hands in his lap. A proper gentleman kind of pose. “It’s a lovely day, is it not?” 

  
“Ain’t daytime. ‘S a dream.” He leans back as well, spreading his legs a bit to be more comfortable, arms draping over the back of the bench. 

  
The boy scoffs. “Obviously. But couldn’t you pretend? That’s what I’m here for, right?” 

  
“Guess so.” He looks away from his new friend, gazing out over the river. It’s sparkling in the daylight-- stuff like this makes him wish he could draw, but the only thing he’s good for is knitting and sewing. Drawing, he’s useless at. 

  
“I’m sure you could draw it if you really tried. Reference photos would make it easier.” The boy comments, and Kanji’s about to ask how he knows what he was thinking, but stops himself. Of course he would know. This guy is just a figment of his dream. 

  
“For someone who so desperately wants a friend, you certainly are insistent on pushing people away.” It’s not an accusation, just an observation. Kanji appreciates that. 

  
“Yeah, ‘n what do you know, anyway?” He huffs, and the boys just smiles at him. 

  
“I know a lot of things. I just think you aren’t ready to hear them yet.” 

  
Kanji looks away, but the boy is quick to put a hand on his cheek, tilting his face back to look at him again. Which makes his face quickly turn red. Turns out you can get embarrassed, even in dreams. 

  
The boy retracts his hand, at least, before Kanji can really register how good the faint touch felt. It’s not even real, but still… 

  
“I think you should go to school tomorrow.” The boy says. 

  
“Yea? Why?” 

  
“Trust me on this one.” The boy just shrugs. “You do trust your own brain. Isn’t that all I am? Something made up in your head?” 

  
“Jeeze, I came here for some company, not a psychology lesson.” He fumbles over the word ‘psychology’ a bit, looking away again. The boy doesn’t force him to look back this time. 

  
“We both know that’s a lie.” The boy says, softly. When Kanji looks back, the boy’s gone. 

  
Kanji wakes up in a totally non dramatic way, in a very dramatic pose. All his blankets have been thrown off to one side of the bed, and he’s almost hanging off of it. 

  
Ugh. That was a weird time. But hey, it’s something. He’ll take it. 

  
Kanji glances at his alarm clock, seeing that he has about an hour before school starts. 

  
He’ll just take his dream friend’s advice. No big deal.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> His dream friend turns out to no longer be confined to just dreams.
> 
> Oh boy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> everyone: sleepy... please.... just.... finish yosuke the latte boy... or add a chapter to inaba akira.. please
> 
> me, happily writing more kannao: huh? what? ya'll hear sumn?
> 
> anyway here's a short little chapter and no i Wont stop spouting kannao content into the void i dont CARE that no one likes it--

There’s some people in the shop right now.   


  
He’s trying to eavesdrop which is.. Bad. But he’s curious. It’s just that his looks tend to scare off customers sometimes.He can hear the hushed tones of the familiar and warm voice of his mother, and someone else. It’s not a voice he recognizes, but it seems younger, and… kind of familiar, as well?    


  
They’re asking for him, so he stays out of sight. Just in case. That murder case has got everyone on edge, along with that dumb TV show making a half assed effort to censor his face, who knows what kind of trouble people are looking for. He doesn’t need to tangle with old man Dojima any more than necessary. Ma is probably covering for him, which is appreciated. He’ll be cooking dinner today to say thank you.    


  
The two voices of his mother and the mystery person die down as the bell on the shop door rings, faintly. He can barely hear it ‘ding’ above the conversation. He’s rather done with eavesdropping, unable to hear anything, so he goes out the back door and onto the street.   


  
Only to do a double take.   


  
Right towards him, coming  _ right at him _ is the exact same dude from his dream the night before. What the fuck. What the fuck?!   


  
Kanji discreetly takes a peek at his hand to confirm this isn’t a dream, but nope, he’s got the right number of fingers. So then.. How…?   


  
“Pardon me. You’re Kanji Tatsumi, correct?” The boy asks, and there’s no mistaking it, this is the exact same guy. He can’t help but feel a pang of guilt, knowing that the boy in his dream had asked him to go to school-- and he hadn’t.    


  
“T-that’s me, yea. Whaddya want?” It comes off a bit more aggressive then he was hoping for, but he’s freaked out! It’s not every day that the dream friend you conjure up comes to life.   


  
The boy tilts his head slightly. “My name is Naoto Shirogane.” And sticks out his hand, which gives Kanji some intense deja-vu.   


  
“Doesn’t, really, answer my question?” He fumbles over his words, but shakes his hand anyway.   


  
“Right, of course, my apologies. I’m interested in you.” He says this as if it’s the tiniest and most insignificant thing in the world.    


  
He can feel the heat rising in his cheeks. “You’re… wait, in me? Why?”   


  
“I’m afraid this isn’t the time or the place for this.” The boy, Naoto, looks slightly off to the side for a moment, before looking back to Kanji. He’s too shocked to even register what’s going on. “Are you free tomorrow?”    


  
It takes him a second to realize that was a question.   


  
“T-tomorrows fine with me.” Jesus Christ, Tatsumi, keep it together. It’s just… a crazy coincidence. Right? Yeah.   


  
“As for a meeting place, that depends. Are you going to school?” He raises a brow at Kanji, almost accusatory. Shit.    


  
“Huh? S-school? Course I’m going to school…” He nods, anything to get this guy away from him so he can  _ think. _   


  
“Then I’ll meet you at the gates after school tomorrow.” The boy nods firmly, before turning on his heel and walking away.   


  
All Kanji can do is stand there and try to puzzle out what just happened, and what upside down world he’s living in right now.   


  
“D-did he say he was interested..?” He looks down at his hands, eyebrows furrowed. He’ll just, puzzle this out, out loud.    


  
“He’s a guy.. And I’m a guy.. But.. he’s interested in me?” A flicker of movement caught his attention in his peripheral, and he looks up, just to make eye contact with a gang of four kids. Kanji barely has time to register that one of them is Yukiko before panic kicks in. Oh god. They heard all that.   


  
“Huh? What the hell are you pricks looking at!?” He makes a threatening slash motion with his hand, stepping towards them, only for them to scurry off in a hurry. Great.   


  
Kanji rubs his eyes, letting out a sigh. Now they’re gonna spread rumors that he’s gay, and make things even worse for him. Maybe it’s true. He sure doesn’t fucking know anymore.    


  
One of them had been Yukiko… maybe he can make nice with her through his mom and try to get her to keep her and her friend’s mouths shut. Then again, it wouldn’t be worth the effort. His reputation is already shit in this town.    


  
He heads back into the house, and face plants onto his bed. Tomorrow will be... interesting.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello welcome
> 
> pls! lemme kno what you think i love comments i live on them thank u mwah
> 
> okay have good day

**Author's Note:**

> my instinct is to make fics more naoto-centric so i thought i'd switch it up a bit and have Kanji as more of the main focus!!
> 
> i hope u enjoyed. pls tell me what u think i respond to/read all comments
> 
> thank u mwah


End file.
